Public schools in Staunton, VA
13 open public schools with an address in Staunton, operated by 6 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
13
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
4,304
10 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
12.9:1
Virginia median 13.7:1
Charter schools
0
0 virtual
An overview of Staunton public schools
The federal directory lists 13 public schools in Staunton, VA: 4 elementary, 2 middle, 2 high, 5 combined or other. The 10 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 4,304 students, an average of 430 per school. The largest campus is Staunton High (766 students), and the largest elementary school is Riverheads Elementary (714).
Staunton City Public Schools operates the most schools here (6), and 2 regular districts have at least one Staunton campus, plus 4 charter, service, or other agencies. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 12.9:1, lower than the statewide school median of 13.7:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
Among 3 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 2 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 2 of 4 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 77% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Staunton
Staunton City Public Schools
Public school district
6 schools in Staunton
Augusta County Public Schools
Public school district
3 schools in Staunton · 19 total
Commonwealth Center for Children & Adolescents
State operated agency
1 school in Staunton
Department of Education State-Operated Educ Prgms
State operated agency
1 school in Staunton · 23 total
Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind-Staunton
State operated agency
1 school in Staunton
Western State Hospital
State operated agency
1 school in Staunton
Elementary schools in Staunton
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur R. Ware Elementary Staunton City Public Schools | KG–05 | 372 | 12:1 | |
| Bessie Weller Elementary Staunton City Public Schools | KG–05 | 373 | 12:1 | |
| Riverheads Elementary Augusta County Public Schools | PK–05 | 714 | 15.5:1 | |
| Thomas C. McSwain Elementary Staunton City Public Schools | KG–05 | 449 | 14.5:1 |
Middle schools in Staunton
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverheads Middle Augusta County Public Schools | 06–08 | 366 | 12.5:1 | |
| Shelburne Middle Staunton City Public Schools | 06–08 | 583 | 11.9:1 |
High schools in Staunton
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverheads High Augusta County Public Schools | 09–12 | 467 | 13.4:1 | |
| Staunton High Staunton City Public Schools | 09–12 | 766 | 13.2:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Staunton
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commonwealth Ctr For Children & Adolescents Commonwealth Center for Children & Adolescents · Special Education School | PK–12 | — | — | |
| Shenandoah Valley Juvenile Detention Home Department of Education State-Operated Educ Prgms · Alternative School | Not reported | — | — | |
| Staunton City School PreSchool Programs Staunton City Public Schools | PK–PK | 149 | 18.6:1 | |
| Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind-Staunton · Special Education School | PK–12 | 65 | 2.2:1 | |
| Western St. Hosp. Ed. Pr. Western State Hospital · Special Education School | PK–12 | — | — |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White70.6%
- Hispanic7.8%
- Black9.3%
- Asian1.4%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.2%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial10.6%
Enrollment-weighted across 10 Staunton schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (4,304 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Staunton
How many public schools are in Staunton, VA?
The current NCES directory lists 13 open public schools with a location address in Staunton: 4 elementary, 2 middle, 2 high, 5 combined or other. Together they reported 4,304 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Staunton?
Schools with an address in Staunton belong to 6 education agencies, led by Staunton City Public Schools (6 schools), Augusta County Public Schools (3 schools), Commonwealth Center for Children & Adolescents (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Staunton?
Staunton High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Staunton, with 766 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Staunton?
No school with an address in Staunton is identified as a charter school in the current NCES directory. Families may still have charter or virtual options elsewhere in Virginia.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Staunton schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Staunton public schools is 12.9:1, lower than the Virginia school median of 13.7:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Staunton guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Virginia cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Virginia cities